Retail Express supports two different Purchase Order (PO) template types: Standard (Normal) PO Templates and Matrix PO Templates. These templates are designed to support different product structures and purchasing workflows within the system.
A Standard PO Template is suited to products that are ordered as individual items, where each SKU is listed separately and quantities are entered per line. In contrast, a Matrix PO Template is designed for Style/Matrix products that have multiple variations, such as size, colour, or other attributes, and allows quantities to be entered using a grid-based layout.
What Is a Standard (Normal) PO Template?
A Standard PO Template is used for products that do not have matrix-style variations. Each product appears as a single line item on the purchase order.
When to Use a Standard PO Template
Use a Standard PO Template when:
- Products do not have size, colour, or style variations
- Each SKU is ordered individually
- Products are not created as Style/Matrix products
Key Characteristics
- One row per product or SKU
- Quantity entered directly against each product
- Suitable for simple product catalogs
- Commonly used for accessories, services, or non-variant products
Example
Product | SKU | Quantity |
|---|
Gift Card | GC100 | 50 |
Candle Holder | CH200 | 20 |
What Is a Matrix PO Template?
A Matrix PO Template is designed for Style/Matrix products that have multiple variations such as size, colour, or other attributes. Instead of listing each SKU individually, quantities are entered into a grid (matrix) representing all product variations.
When to Use a Matrix PO Template
Use a Matrix PO Template when:
- Products have variations (e.g. Size, Colour)
- Products are created as Style/Matrix Products
- Ordering is done by style rather than individual SKUs
- You want faster data entry for large variant ranges
Key Characteristics
- Products displayed in a grid format
- Rows and columns represent attribute values (e.g. Size × Colour)
- Quantities entered per variation cell
- Automatically generates individual SKU quantities
Example
Colour \ Size | S | M | L |
|---|
Black | 10 | 15 | 20 |
White | 8 | 12 | 18 |
Key Differences: Matrix vs Standard PO Templates
Feature | Standard PO Template | Matrix PO Template |
|---|
Product Type | Single / Non-variant | Style / Matrix products |
Layout | List-based | Grid (matrix) |
SKU Entry | One SKU per row | Generated per variation |
Quantity Entry | Manual per SKU | Per attribute combination |
Best For | Simple catalogs | Apparel, footwear, variants |
Speed for Large Orders | Slower | Faster and more efficient |
How Retail Express Applies PO Template Layouts
The PO template used depends on the template selected by the user at the time of creating or configuring the Purchase Order. While product structure (standard vs style/matrix) determines how products behave within a template, users must manually choose the appropriate PO template.
- Standard PO Templates should be selected when ordering non-variant products.
- Matrix PO Templates should be selected when ordering Style/Matrix products with size, colour, or other variations.
For Style/Matrix products with a large number of variants, the matrix layout will automatically wrap onto additional lines once the maximum supported variants per row is reached.
📋 Important: When using a Matrix PO Template, the system supports up to 12 variants per matrix row. If a style contains more than 12 variants, the matrix will automatically wrap onto additional rows for the same style.